WEBVTT 00:01.366 --> 00:03.200 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% AMNA NAWAZ: And finally tonight to close out the week, 00:03.200 --> 00:06.133 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% a gifted young talent you might have seen online. 00:06.133 --> 00:10.033 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% GEOFF BENNETT: Yes, his name is Miles the Music Kid. That's what he's known as. And 00:10.033 --> 00:13.800 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% his videos are striking a chord with audiences around the world. 00:13.800 --> 00:18.800 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% William Brangham has the story for our arts and culture series, Canvas. 00:20.466 --> 00:22.900 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% MILES BONHAM, Musician: Get a new audio track? 00:22.900 --> 00:27.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Eight-year-old Miles Bonham, a 4-foot music-producing phenom... 00:29.233 --> 00:30.533 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% MILES BONHAM: Transposing it down 12 semitones. 00:30.533 --> 00:35.400 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: ... seemingly can do it all. 00:38.033 --> 00:42.033 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% MILES BONHAM: At first, I might just want to make music, 00:42.033 --> 00:47.000 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% not really have an idea. And then, it's like, oh, OK, this is cool. 00:50.566 --> 00:55.433 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Miles has become an Internet sensation. Millions of followers watch along 00:55.433 --> 01:00.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% as he puts his spin on other songs or creates his own, the best of which he calls bangers. 01:04.666 --> 01:09.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% He started at age 4 on a little guitar and soon progressed to the piano. His parents, 01:20.200 --> 01:23.666 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% neither of whom are professional musicians, started sharing clips 01:23.666 --> 01:28.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of him online. And before they knew it, Miles was producing full multitrack songs, 01:30.466 --> 01:35.333 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% complete with drums, bass, and vocals, using high-end recording software. 01:37.033 --> 01:39.400 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% MAN: That's just who he is. He's just -- it runs through him. Music 01:39.400 --> 01:44.400 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% is how he expresses himself, and it's just a huge passion of his. 01:45.933 --> 01:47.933 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: His songs go through many, 01:47.933 --> 01:52.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% many permutations. And Miles says only about one in 10 achieved banger status. 01:53.933 --> 01:58.366 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% So do you know when it's done and when you feel like this is great, 01:58.366 --> 02:01.800 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60% I'm finished, I can mix this now? 02:01.800 --> 02:04.833 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% MILES BONHAM: I mean, like being a perfectionist, 02:04.833 --> 02:09.833 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% I always listen, like, a lot of times before I say it's done. 02:12.600 --> 02:15.900 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% QUESTLOVE, Musician: Miles, my man, my peer. 02:15.900 --> 02:19.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And that perfectionism has landed him some pretty cool friends, 02:19.700 --> 02:23.633 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% like Questlove of The Roots, who gifted Miles a drum set, 02:23.633 --> 02:26.533 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% and Grammy Award-winning producer Mark Ronson. 02:26.533 --> 02:31.533 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Miles is part of a rising generation of precocious young musicians with huge online followings. 02:34.300 --> 02:39.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% How do you keep it normal for him? How do you keep it so that he is just a regular 02:41.366 --> 02:44.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% 8-year-old boy living a life with a sister in your home and life? How do you do that? 02:44.300 --> 02:48.433 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% WOMAN: That's a pretty easy question, because he is a regular kid. I mean, 02:48.433 --> 02:52.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% he literally is a regular kid. He does all of the things that regular kids 02:52.733 --> 02:57.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% do. And it just so happens he's got this musical super power on the side. 02:59.866 --> 03:04.833 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Their son is a rare breed, a social media superstar who 03:06.966 --> 03:11.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% doesn't have access to social media. Mom and dad, who asked we not use their full names, 03:13.700 --> 03:17.400 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% say they walk a fine line between protecting Miles and supporting his passion. 03:17.400 --> 03:22.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% WOMAN: We don't think it's healthy for kids to go on social media while their brains are 03:22.266 --> 03:27.266 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% developing. And so he's not getting that dopamine rush, and so he doesn't really care. He's just 03:29.333 --> 03:33.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% focused on having fun and doing the things that make him happy, like every other kid. 03:33.000 --> 03:37.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Every time a young phenom emerges, there's some group of people assume 03:37.600 --> 03:42.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% that there must be maniacal parents behind the scenes that are pressing the 03:42.100 --> 03:46.666 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% young person into this success. Is that the case? Is that what's going on here? 03:46.666 --> 03:51.666 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% MAN: It's as far as possible from the truth in our case, right? If Miles tomorrow were to say, 03:54.033 --> 03:57.500 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% "Hey dad, I want to be a lawyer, or I want to be a tech entrepreneur, 03:57.500 --> 04:02.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% or I want to be whatever," like, both of us would probably breathe a nice sigh of relief. 04:03.966 --> 04:05.533 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: What do you want to be when you grow up? 04:05.533 --> 04:08.466 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% MILES BONHAM: I think, like, a musician, like, a producer, 04:08.466 --> 04:13.466 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% songwriter. So I have written my own songs and I sing my own songs. 04:17.166 --> 04:19.866 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Miles has just released his first original single, 04:19.866 --> 04:24.866 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% "You Can Be a Hero," for a movie soundtrack. And at his age, this is likely just the beginning. 04:28.600 --> 04:29.233 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% MILES BONHAM: Two, three, four. 04:29.233 --> 04:31.033 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% (MUSIC) 04:31.033 --> 04:34.400 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% WILLIAM BRANGHAM: For the "PBS News Hour," I'm William Brangham. 04:38.366 --> 04:40.600 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: I love that his mom described his talent as his 04:40.600 --> 04:42.866 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% musical superpower. That's exactly what it is. 04:42.866 --> 04:45.833 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% AMNA NAWAZ: It is. He's found his thing. What a blessing. Good for you.